Honda Masayoshi Sensei
Jushin (1936–2022)
Honda Tadakatsu
Honda family kamon
Honda Masayoshi Sensei was a highly respected exponent of Muso Jikiden Hasegawa Eishin Ryu and a central figure in the preservation and transmission of the Meibukan lineage during the late 20th and early 21st centuries. A direct student of Onoue Masamitsu Sensei, the 20th generation headmaster, Honda Sensei received Kongen no Maki, representing full transmission of the school’s teachings and authority.
Honda Sensei also came from a distinguished historical lineage. He was a direct descendant of Honda Tadakatsu (1548–1610), one of the most renowned generals in Japanese history and a principal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate. He was celebrated as one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings, the elite group of commanders who helped secure Ieyasu’s rise to power. He was famed for his exceptional battlefield prowess and loyalty, and historical accounts record that he fought in numerous major campaigns without suffering serious injury. Tadakatsu was also associated with the legendary spear Tonbokiri (“Dragonfly Cutter”), said to be so sharp that a dragonfly landing on its blade would be cut in two. His reputation for martial excellence, courage and unwavering service made him one of the most admired samurai figures of the Sengoku and early Edo periods.
Alongside his classical training, Honda Sensei was a Kyoshi 7th Dan, he also studied under Iwata Norikazu Sensei, founder of the Roshukai organisation, further strengthening the relationship between traditional Tosa-based iai practice and broader modern budo development.
Based in Kochi Prefecture, the historical centre of Muso Jikiden Hasagawa Eishin Ryu, Honda Sensei dedicated more than fifty years to the practice and teaching of iai. He led the Tokyo Adachi Roshukai in Adachi-ku, Tokyo for over three decades, playing a significant role in the international dissemination of the tradition while maintaining strong adherence to classical training methodology and cultural preservation.
In recognition of his lifelong contribution to the development and safeguarding of iai, Honda Sensei was posthumously awarded a Kensho-jo by the Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei in 2023.
His legacy continues through his direct students and practitioners who carry forward his teachings, preserving both the technical curriculum and cultural ethos of the tradition.